the grey room(灰房间)-第25节
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can be dead in a moment。〃
They stood over the detective； and Masters and Fred Caunter； with
courage and presence of mind； carried him out into the corridor。
The butler spoke。
〃Run for the brandy； Fred；〃 he said。 〃We must get some down his
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neck if we can。 I don't feel the gentleman's heart； but it may not have
stopped。 He's warm enough。〃
The footman obeyed； and Hardcastle was laid upon his back。 Then
Sir Walter directed Masters。
〃Hold his head up。 It may be better for him。〃
They waited； and； during the few moments before Caunter returned；
Sir Walter spoke again。 His mind wandered backward and seemed for
the moment incapable of grasping the fact before him。
〃Almost the last thing the man said was to ask me why ghosts haunted
the night rather than the day。〃
Lennox and Mannering to bring him news when the telegram
dispatched to Scotland Yard was answered； and prepared to leave them。
As he rose； he marked his old spaniel standing whimpering by his side。
〃What is the matter with Prince？〃 he asked。
〃He has not had his dinner；〃 said Mary。
〃Let him be fed at once；〃 answered her father； and went out alone。
She rose to follow him immediately； but Mannering； who had stopped
and was with them； begged her not to do so。
〃Leave him to himself；〃 he said。 〃This has shaken your father； as
well it may。 He's all right。 Make him take his bromide to…night； and let
nobody do anything to worry him。〃
The master of Chadlands meantime went afield； walked half a mile to
a favorite spot； and sat down upon a seat that he had there erected。 A
storm was blowing up from the south…west； and the weather of his mind
welcomed it。 He alternated between bewilderment and indignation。 His
own life…long philosophy and trust in the ordered foundations of human
existence threatened to fail him entirely before this second stroke。 It
seemed that the punctual universe was suddenly turned upside down； and
had emptied a vial of horror upon his innocent head。
Reality was a thing of the past。 A nightmare had taken its place； a
nightmare from which there was no waking。 He considered the stability
of his days … a lifetime followed upon high principles and founded on
religious convictions that had comforted his sorrows and countenanced his
joys。 It seemed a trial undeserved； that in his old age he should be thrust
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upon a pinnacle of publicity； forced into the public eye； robbed of dignity；
denied the privacy he esteemed as the most precious privilege that wealth
could command。 Stability was destroyed； to count upon the morrow
seemed impossible。 His thought； strung to a new morbidity； unknown till
now； ran on and pictured； with painful； vivid stroke upon stroke； the
insufferable series of events that lay before him。
Life was become a bizarre and brutal business for a man of fine feeling。
He would be thrust into the pitiless mouth of sensation…mongers； called to
appear before tribunals； subjected to an inquisition of his fellow…men；
made to endure a notoriety infinitely odious even in anticipation。 Indeed；
Sir Walter's simple intellect wallowed in anticipation； and so suffered
much that； given exercise of restraint； he might have escaped altogether。
He was brave enough； but personal bravery would not be called for。 He sat
now staring dumbly at an imaginary series of events abominable and
unseemly in every particular to his order of mind。 He was so concerned
with what the future must hold in store for him that for a time the present
quite escaped his thoughts。
He returned to it； however； and it was almost with the shock of a new
surprise he remembered that Peter Hardcastle； a man of European repute；
had just died in his house。 But he could not in the least realize the new
tragedy。 He had as yet barely grasped the truth of his son…in…law's end；
and still often found himself expecting Tom's footfall and his jolly voice。
That such an abundant vitality was stilled； that such an infectious laugh
would never sound again on mortal ear he yet sometimes found it hard to
believe。
But now it seemed that the impact of this second blow rammed home
the first。 He brooded upon his dead son…in…law； and it was long before he
returned to the event of that day。 A thought struck him； and though
elementary enough； it seemed to Sir Walter an important conclusion。
There could be no shadow of doubt that Tom May and Peter Hardcastle
had died by the same secret force。 He felt that he must remember this。
Again he puzzled； and then decided with himself that； if he meant to
keep sane； he must practice faith and trust in God。 Septimus May had
said that such unparalleled things sometimes happened in the world to try
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man's faith。 Doubtless he was right。
Henceforth the old man determined to stand firmly on the side of the
supernatural with the priest。 He went further； and blamed his scepticism。
It had cost the world a valuable life。 He could not； indeed； be censured
for that in any court of inquiry。 Sceptical men would doubtless say that
he had done rightly in refusing Mr。 May his experiment。 But Sir Walter
now convinced himself that he had done wrongly。 At such a time； with
landmarks vanishing and all accepted laws of matter resolved into chaos；
there remained only God to trust。 Such a burden as this was not to be
borne by any mortal； and Sir Walter determined that he would not bear it。
Were we not told to cast our tribulations before the Almighty？ Here； if
ever； was a situation beyond the power of human mind to approach； unless
a man walked humbly with his hand in his Maker's。 Septimus May had
been emphatically right。 Sir Walter repeated this conviction to himself
again and again； like a child。
He descended to details presently。 The hidden being； that it had been
implicitly agreed could only operate by night in the Grey Room； proved
equally potent under noonday sun。 But why should it be otherwise？ To
limit its activities was to limit its powers； and the Almighty alone knew
what powers had been granted to it。 He shrank from further inquiries or
investigations on any but a religious basis。 He was now convinced that
no natural explanation would exist for what had happened in the Grey
Room； and he believed that only through the paths of Christian faith
would peace return to him or his house。
Then the present dropped out of his thoughts。 They wandered into
the past； and he concerned himself with his wife。 She it was who had
taught him to care for foreign travel。 Until his marriage he had hardly
left England； save when yachting with friends； and an occasional glimpse
of a Mediterranean port was all that Sir Walter knew of the earth outside
his own country。 But he remembered with gratitude the opportunities
won from her。 He had taken her round the world； and found himself
much the richer in great memories for that experience。
He was still thinking when Mary found him； with his old dog asleep at
his feet。 She brought him a coat and umbrella； for the threatened storm
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advanced swiftly under clouds laden with rain。 Reluctantly enough he
returned to the present。 A telegram had been received from London；
directing Dr。 Mannering to reach the nearest telephone and communicate
direct。 The doctor was gone to Newton Abbot； and nothing could be
done until he came back。 Not knowing wha
